In AP World History: Modern, you'll learn about the rise and fall of empires, the evolution of technology, and the cultural and social changes that have shaped our world. Advanced Placement (AP) World History: Modern (also known as AP World History, AP World, APWH, or WHAP) is a college-level course and examination offered to high school students in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program. AP World History: Modern was designed to help students develop a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts as well as interactions between different human societies. The course advances understanding through a combination of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills.